In many patients with severe abdominal wall defects, the fascial edges of the defect or incision are retracted too far for primary approximation and closure. In such situations, a closure under too much tension could lead to failure and recurrent hernia. Yet, it is important to finally close the wound.
It has been shown that the biological soft-tissues such as skin and fascia have the capability to stretch with time under external tension. This has been used in rare cases to close large abdominal wall defects. However, external sutures and bands were used for this purpose with associated problems and complications.